do you think the song would have been better or worse with Jackson instead of Sure?

Doesn't really matter, that's a pretty lame song no matter who sings on it.

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It certainly would have been a bigger hit

No doubt, but can you imagine how the course of Bowie's career would have gone if that had been his commercial comeback? Just think of all the crap that would have came from that.

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This is the song where Bowie is making social comment on predatory paedophiles yes? I was convinced his reference to M.Jackson was connected to Jacksons alledged history of child molestation.

I always saw that song, Shopping For Girls, to be about the difficulties of young urban life. Also, that was written in 1991, and the earliest allegations of child molestation against Jackson came in 1993.

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Has Jackson ever done a political song like BTWN?

Black and White is a political song disguised as pop.

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I wonder if the "real" duet version, whoever did it, got yanked because of the politcal ramifications of thie songs - and the fact it was going to be one of Bowie's "comeback" singles. If you were Kravitzs record company, and had the "Are You Going My Way" waiting to be released, would you want your artist on a 'hot potato' single?

I doubt that's the case. Kravitz was doing political stuff back then, I'm sure it was just a scheduling conflict. He was anxious to work with Bowie, as proven by his contribution to Buddha a year later.